Monday, March 9, 2009

Knitting fool

OK - I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had started knitting again. I've never been a particularly avid knitter but lately I don't want to do anything else...

At first I was going to make everyone in my family hats and scarves for Christmas next year. I still will (I think...) but then I really started thinking about it - everyone I know already has plenty of hats and scarves and I really want to use all of this pent up knitting energy to do something for someone else. Soooo... everything I'm currently knitting is going to be donated to the women's shelter in our town. It's already spring here so I'm going to wait until next fall to actually give them the items. But I'm stockpiling hats and scarves for women and children who deserve to have something nice and warm knit just for them.

I have also found the group that makes and donates items to the NICU at the hospital where Ellie was born. We were given a box with a blanket, a bib and a tiny little dress when Ellie was born. We still have all of the mementos in that box. If there is anything I can do to make someone else's journey at little less painful I will try to do it.

And one more... There is a group in my area that makes and donates quilts to children in Guatemala. Amelia was adopted from Guatemala in 2005. I want to make at least one blanket to send. It can be knit or quilted - but it needs to have a heart motif. Anyone know of any good knitting patterns for a blanket with a heart motif?

I've always wanted to do something useful with my hobbies I just never got up the energy to do something about it. So now that I have told the world of my plans I can't just pretend that I never thought about it. I promise to post pictures of my progress with various projects as I am working on them.

5 comments:

Mrs. Spit said...

That's great. I knit hats for babies born still at the local hospital.

Michele said...

I suck at crafting, but I treasure the boxes the hospitals gave us for our kids. They, too, included blankets and hats. I often open them, smell them, run my fingers over the places where their heads lay... What a gift those knitters give to us sorrowful and lost parents... And now you will become a gift to those in need! I think what you are doing is absolutely wonderful, and a beautiful way to honor both Ellie and Amelia.

Bluebird said...

What wonderful plans! I wish I was talented like that. Fabric - soft fabric - is so, so comforting to me. I still have *my* baby blanket, for crying out loud! And I really don't know if some sweet unknown lady in the community hadn't made one for our Babies. . . I hope it goes well for you.

Courtney said...

This is such a beautiful thing you are doing. I wish I had a knack for knitting. I've been trying to think of ideas sort of like this to do for the hospital were the boys were born.

I may take up the knitting thing again I'm not sure, I will need the knitting help from my mom thats for sure hehe.

Two Hands said...

Have you tried Ravelry.com for a for a pattern? They have several blanket patterns with heart motifs...